Letter/email sent to redtents.org ( http://www.redtents.org/ ) this is a endeavor to get red tents to the homeless to provide some shelter and to draw attetnion to their plight during the coming Olympic events.
those of you who are coming let me know if you would like to get involved with this. I am as I am seeing billions spent on the games while people die in the streets.



I have just read about your project to draw attention to the plight of the homeless here in Vancouver. It is a brilliant idea that is sure to get media attention and show the world the truth about this city.
It's obvious that the idea is to draw attention to the problem. I am hopeful that I, and some associates may be able to be of assistance to you.
We are Real Life Superheroes, people who use costumes to draw attention to things like self empowerment, civic involvement, crime prevention, and taking care of those who can't care for themselves.
Those of us who act as Real Life Superheroes use costumes to draw attention to our causes. I'm sure you have heard of the group "Fathers for Justice". They use comic book superheroes to draw attention to a lack of father's rights.
We do things in a similar manor but create our own unique persona to draw attention to what we do.
Many of us do this anonymously, as I do myself, because what we are doing is more important than who we are.
I am Thanatos, and I have been active here in Vancouver just over a year now. I act as a extra set of eyes and ears for the police, and once a month I fund and distribute blankets and food to the homeless in the lower downtown eastside. I have been featured on CBC Radio One and in the Globe and Mail Newspaper last year.
From the 22nd until the 25th of February I will be hosting a meeting of Real Life Superheroes here in Vancouver. We thought we might be able to get involved with the handing out of the tents.
I am providing some links here for you so you can better understand who and what we are and get some idea as to what we do.
You can find out about me here:
http://www.myspace.com/thanatos2008ms

and here:
http://www.youtube.com/thanatosdarkavenger

and here:
http://thanatos2008.spaces.live.com/

You can learn more about Real Life SUperheroes here:
http://www.freewebs.com/heroesnetwork/

and here:
http://reallifesuperheroes.org/

You can contact me for further information at this email or during the evenings at:

xxx xxx xxxx



Thanatos

the dark avenger

Any additional info about this that needs to be added to the main site?

than- my gear ought to arrive within the next week or so from my brother.

nvm- just saw your message on HN.

let me know when your getting in. pm where you will be and I'll give you my number.

I received this today from the CBC tlevision-French requesting a interview with me, or us during the meet up.
those of you coming that want to do this let me know and we shall see what can be set up.
I also emailed Peter about this and will see what he says as well.
I did a interview last year with the CBC radio and was featured with Polarman and Dark Guardian. they do have a reputation of being fair but very consrative. to get their interest we must be doing something right.
remember though....
the meet up isnt about media attention, it's about learning how we are the same but different and how to use that to work as a team.


Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 14:23:30 -0500
From: Virginie.Langlois@RADIO-CANADA.CA
To: thanatos2008@live.ca
Subject: Interview - CBC French Program


Hi Thanatos!

Sorry for my english, I'm a french speaker!

My name is Virginie Langlois, and I'm a researcher with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. I am currently working on a program for Télévision de Radio-Canada, the CBC's French-language television service. The show, a review of top news stories, is broadcast from coast to coast and is called: ''Infoman''. We are on air since ten years, covering news and doing reports about different subject around news, with well-known TV personality Jean-René Dufort.

You can visit our web site if you want: http://www.radio-canada.ca/infoman
It's been 2 years that I've been looking in the Real Life Superheroe's web site... and I'm fascinated buy your work!!! It's my dream to do a report on one superheroe! Last year, we will supposed to film in Florida but the superheroe was not available.

My anchor Jean-René-Dufort is going to Vancouver between February 12 and february 25 to cover the Olympic Games.
I saw that you made an invitation to all RLSH to come in Vancouver and help you to protect your city.

My anchor is called ''Infoman'' because he's like the superheroe of Information. So meeting you will be a very nice interview, between 2 superheroes!!!

I know that you guys want to be anonymous.... there's no problem for us, we will respect your intimity!!!
We just want to talk with you about your work, your goals, and your technics to be a good superheroe!!! If you want, maybe we can do a patrol with you...

The total interview will take 30 minutes MAXIMUM!!!
So, I wish it can works...

Maybe it’s better to be in touch by mail, because of the language! I’m better to write in English…

Virginie Langlois
Recherchiste - Infoman
Radio-Canada
Tél: (514) 597-4533
Courriel: virginie.langlois@radio-canada.ca



any and all thoughts welcome even if your not coming up after such a nice invitation.

I even got them to throw the Olympics for you

I'm considering running away from home and meeting up with you guys at the Olympics.

Seriously though, I say go for it. French television won't have an audience as large as English television, but like you said the meet-up isn't about attention or getting recognized, it's about going good. So even though I'm not going to be able to make it (and you have no idea how crazy that's making me), I recommend that at least some of you take advantage of this opportunity.

I wrote Peter and he repied:

I read the email you received and on first glance I think there is no reason not to participate with the show. I don’t speak French so can’t get much from their web site but found this online in their sales and marketing English section of the site...

Infoman is back, just in time to celebrate ninth years of hounding politicians, exposing blunders, flushing out incompetence and showcasing the foolishness of the rich and powerful. In its tenth season, Infoman has no intention of resting on its laurels!
So bring on your elections, your not-so-green initiatives, your unbuilt CHUMs, your outrageous French presidents, your naïve ministers and their girlfriends with shady pasts: Infoman is ready!

Further research discovers more details about the host of the show, it seems that his program is presented with a focus on humor, in fact the Quebec Federation of Journalists refused to admit him, I found this on wikipedia...

Television
The public discovers Jean-René Dufort in 1997 when he was the star reporter to broadcast the end of the world is seven hours broadcast on TQS. Dufort describes the news in a humorous way alongside Marc Labreche, who hosts this parody daily newscast. The show was a great success for three seasons.
After briefly taking the helm of his own show, 2000 Years of bugs on TQS in 1999, he moved to Radio-Canada in 2000 where he became Infoman in a program of the same name dealing with the current policy and International humorously. Infoman is still broadcast every week in 2009, and also produces a magazine of the year, broadcast on the evening of December 31.
During the summers of 2005 and 2006, Dufort co-hosts Meanwhile Bin Laden to the CBC, a program covering the news as a joke at the CBC, and intending to be "objective" to covering the arrest of Osama bin Laden. The program wipes many negative reviews from the start, but still manages to earn a certain audience. She did not however return for a third season.
[Edit] Radio
Jean-René Dufort has been for some years one of the co-hosts the morning show of CKOI-FM, Ye too early, alongside Normand Brathwaite, until a controversy in 2005. Brathwaite accused of psychological harassment against their colleague Roxane St-Gelais, Dufort will be removed from the show. Yé too early leaves the airwaves shortly after leaving CKOI and Brathwaite. Meanwhile, Corus, which owns CKOI-FM, will mandate a former Chief Justice of Quebec, Claude Bisson, to clarify the matter. In February 2007, Jean-René Dufort will be exonerated of all blame, the referee ruling that the complaint against the co-host was unfounded.
Jean-René Dufort was the morning-man CKOI until 2007. He facilitated since the fall 2006 issue juice and Dufort.
[Edit] Science

A graduate in biochemistry and amateur science, Jean-René Dufort is founder of the movement of mineral universal consciousness. [Ref. Needed] He was also spokesman for the Science Center of Montreal, and member of the Board of Skeptics Quebec.
[Edit] A journalist?

From the time of the end of the world is at 7 o'clock, Jean-René Dufort has been the target of the Professional Federation of Quebec Journalists (FPJQ), which accuses him of lacking journalistic rigor and above all be a fanciful pretending to be journalist. FPJQ refuse in 1999 he became member of the federation, based on the definition given by the producer himself on his show: a comedy show, not information.
A controversy broke out about this in December 2006 when "Infoman" to broadcast his show on CBC interview with the President of Lebanon, Émile Lahoud, and a member of Hezbollah. FPJQ Dufort accused of false representation the Lebanese personalities invited to the show who thought him to be a public information program of a more serious kind. ...

I recently asked Geist to write to the community on my behalf regarding just this type of media interest and followed it up with a personal email to everyone in my project. After doing this research on the show that has reached out to you I offer this assessment. I hope heroes are very selective about what media interest they cooperate with, there is a coming storm of interest and the media will be out in force. Now more then ever it is important to control the message, this is a huge opportunity for the rlsh culture to inspire others and in this day and age of internet exploitation I fear that the more a story is exploitative and presented with humor the more likely that story will go viral. One look at Shadow Hare’s appearance on the internet proves that point. The traffic Zetaman is getting since Kick Ass began advertising on his site and linking the official movie site to Zetaman’s site has been incredible. I know some were against the association but this huge number of people that have become curious about the rlsh are learning what you are really about. This is an effective tool for you and stands in stark contrast to the benefits of something like the Shadow Hare piece.

I don’t think the infoman opportunity is absolutely the wrong thing to participate with, I would however be extremely careful if you decide to do something with them. I think there is a small benefit to be realized and a larger downside if he does something that makes you look ridiculous.

So to steal a quote from a very wise man...

Look down. Whisper "No."

Or at least be super careful, talk with them in detail in advance of the interview, don’t let them film or record you if they move toward humor in a way that exploits you, etc.

Talk to you soon,

Your Friend,

Pete

as Peter said, the gain for this might not be worth the effort.

any thoughts????


anyone??????


do I hear crickets?

also.....
Aldair Cole will be there on the 23rd or 24th to film interviews with anyone intersted for a documentary film to come out late in this year.
a number of us have done it already and it is a honest interview about who and what we are.
I met them in a cemetary late at night in 104 degree heat. it was great.

I'll keep the CBC dangling until I hear some imput for those coming on yea or nea.

Peter will be there on the 25th for portraits and to show us some really neat stuff that has been done.

Tea Krulos will also be along for the ride for a lot of it as well.

there will be a handout scheduled for the morning of the 25th, and depending on things we may have stuff to handout while 'patroling'

I am hoping to post a more complete chedule/itineray early next week along with some basic locations where things will be happening.

also remember that if you want nothing to do with any of the media then you don't have to. and the media can like it or lump it.

I'm sure I can find a Loony World or someplace to pick up handout supplies.

Peter has some good points here. I've had a long love/hate relationship with the media. It can be a great way to get a message out. It can also be a great way for puffy haired newsanchors to act like corndogs. Here's some small tips for any RLSH reading this, which expand on what Peter was saying.
1. Any credible reporter will be able point you in the direction of stuff they've written before.
2. It is absolutely fair for you to ask to see questions in advance and talk about the direction of the story.
3. I think choosing your environment is helpful, too. For instance, Thanatos mentions he did an interview in a cemetery. There he's on his own turf instead of trapped in a studio. You also have the right to ask for a time restriction. Say, hey, you got 20 minutes. Or you have X amount of minutes for interviewing, then X amount of time to follow me around.
4. And I think it goes without saying that you shouldn't feel like you have to answer a question. Simply say "no comment" or "I really couldn't answer that." If they want content, they'll quickly move on to another topic.

Hope that might be helpful.

On a different topic, I'm arriving in Vancouver the afternoon of the 22nd. I've got a bed in a hostel in "Gas town," near downtown. I hear it's an interesting place...a gas even.

very tourtisty part of downtown right nect to the downtown eastside

I be posting more info by mon or tue

a week away from the olympics and aobut two weeks from teh meet up.

lok's like it may be a small turnout but a interesting one at that.

also...

here is a updated schedule so far. there is lots of time for things and any suggestions are welcome.

21st sun day before
possible interviews with documentary-motormouth, knight owl,

thanatos, anyone else around

22nd mon day one
everyone gets in, settled, sight-sees and such during day.
evening we meet up, talk whatever and take walking tour of

eastend downtown of the city.

23rd tue day two
meet during the day in civies or disquise for undercover walk

around (playing spy) meeting at noon at 'steam clock'
meet in evening to go over the day and tour west end and

broadway. interviews with documentary and walking handout tour

24th wed day three
daytime activities open as yet
evening patrols on foot in mt pleasant area and commercial drive

graffiti photographing and mapping for later download and

compareing

25th thur day four
at approx 04;00 hrs large scale handout to homeless for couple

of hours, possible handout at homeless camps during the day as

well,
pictures with Peter late in the morning
afternoon and evening patrol along with get together to talk and

what not during evening.


also to be scheduled would be media interviews and contacts,

possible police interviews, other possible connections with

groups or agencies.

patroling and handouts would be done in two man teams with

walkie-talkie communication and cell phone.

we will be briefing before and debriefing and discussion after

each activity

photos/videos to be posted daily on boards and myspace, youtube

this will be a limited media event with only Tea Krulos, Peter, and the ALdair Cole documentary. they will have only certain times to access us.
and again, anyone not wanting to meet with media doesnt have too.

I will be posting the hoped for and expected objectives this coming week.

I will be seeing about space for meeting possibly at my church, or does anyone have a better and cheaper idea?

The CBC people were kind of dicks - I went at it with the host a bit

You can check out the CBC piece about real life superheroes here

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2009/200903/20090306.html

Vancouver meet up 2010 schedule of events.

21st Sun (day before)
possible interviews with documentary-motormouth, knight owl, Thanatos, anyone else around in later evening

22nd Mon (day one)
everyone gets in, settled, sight-sees and such during day.
evening we meet up, talk whatever and take walking tour of east-end downtown of the city. Documentary crew along for part of walk and handout
CBC interview in evening

23rd Tue (day two)
meet during the day in civies or disguise for undercover walk around (playing spy) meeting at 'steam clock'
meet in evening to go over the day and tour west end and Broadway. interviews with documentary and walking handout tour

24th wed (day three)
daytime activities open as yet possible recon operation for those interested.
evening patrols on foot in mt pleasant area and commercial drive graffiti photographing and mapping for later download and comparing

25th thru (day four)
at approx 04;00 hrs large scale handout to homeless for couple of hours, peter to meet up with us at 0400. followed by pictures with Peter late in the morning
afternoon and evening patrol along with get together to talk

paroling and handouts would be done at minimum two man teams with walkie-talkie communication and cell phone.
we will be briefing before and debriefing and discussion after each activity
photos/videos to be posted daily on boards and myspace, youtube

Sounds like an exciting time!

I've worked with the media before, and Tea's advice is very good. Another strategy -- and I know this will be distasteful to some people -- is to speak in "sound bytes."

If you're up for this approach, decide ahead of time what points you want to emphasize and what statement you want to make. Then, answer every question with fairly short and simple statements that express your points and message. You don't have to recite talking points from memory or anything -- that will make it sound artificial and boring, especially if you don't have practice at public speaking. Just speak as naturally as you can -- but make sure that your answers lead back to your message rather than letting the questions lead you in an unwanted direction.

If you know the questions in advance, it's pretty easy to do this. If they don't tell you the questions, or if they slip in something unexpected, then it's a little harder. But either way, it helps to keep your message in mind. It's possible to relax and be natural while still focusing on a specific message.

The media often cuts up what you have to say into tiny little pieces, either for time reasons or to put spin on the story. Speaking in "sound bytes" rather than being lead around by their questions helps to ensure that they can't take a quote of yours and take it out of context.

Sometimes politicians take this to the extreme and just ignore the question they were asked and respond with talking points instead. But hopefully it won't get that bad! I'd only do that if it's clear the interview is going sour and they're trying to make fun of you or something.

Anyway, just a few thoughts from someone who's talked to at least a dozen reporters. Good luck!

Just been down town yesterday. Russia house was good. Sadly Canada house was boring. Walked around for fun. I have a cold now, and won't be able to come. This is my first RLSH meeting, and I'm going to miss it because of a cold. I'm sorry.

The Mint was cool though, got to see the 1 million dollar gold coin, and watch people pick up the gold bar. LiveCity was so-so, but a good chance to get off your feet and watch events on a ginormous screen.

I agree the Canada pavillion wasn't very exciting. The 16th century curling stone was a laugh though.